THE SICILLIAN CLAN (French) (1969)

Nothing can beat the style and thrill of French noirs. Director Henri Verneuil’s this taut, captivating crime thriller boast of brilliant casting lead by three consummate performers of French Cinema- the legendary Jean Gabin as Sicillian gang boss, the indelible and magnetic charmer Alain Delon and Lino Ventura as smart but queer trying-to-quit smoking cop. It begins with Delon’s arrest for bank robbery and soon followed by his classic escape sequence from moving van. Equally noticeable is the cop surveillance and engaging tension of jewel heist on flight’s take off and landing. The film reminds me Melville’s ‘Le Cercle Rouge’, another brilliant noir starring the icy-blue eye man. Ennio Morricone’s memorable score and Henri Decae’s color camerawork are another feathers on the cap.

Highly recommended for crime/noir fans.

Ratings-8/10